Field-induced spin-flop transitions in single-crystalline La$_{0.25}$Pr$_{0.75}$Co$_{2}$P$_{2}$

ORAL

Abstract

We report measurements of anisotropic magnetization and magnetoresistance (MR) on single crystals of La$_{0.25}$Pr$_{0.75}$Co$_{2}$P$_{2}$, a novel magnetic alloy with the ThCr$_{2}$Si$_{2}$-type structure, which is a parent structure of the ferro-pnictide high-temperature superconductors. The material exhibits two magnetic transitions in the $c$-axis direction at 240 K and 10.5 K. Below 10K, the magnetization and MR measurements provide corroborating evidence that applying a magnetic field along the $c$-axis induces two successive spin-flop transitions at 0.5 T and 5.5 T. For a magnetic field applied in the \textit{ab }plane, spins cannot be fully polarized at up to 7 T and the MR changes sign from negative to positive at $\sim $20 K with increasing temperature. The observations are consistent with a magnetic configuration, in which the Pr and Co magnetic moments are oriented along the $c$ axis and ordered ferromagnetically within the \textit{ab} plane but antiferomagnetically along the $c$ axis. Details of the microscopic origin of the spin-flop transitions will be discussed.

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Authors

  • Tongshuai Xu

    Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL; School of Physics, Shandong University, Jinan, P.R.China

  • Chris Neu

    Florida State University, NHMFL, Institut Neel, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, Florida State University, Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Florida State University, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, Austin Peay State University, University of Pardubice, Davidson College, Covenant College, Lookout Mtn, GA 30750, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, RU, University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, TN, USA, Sandia National Laboratories,* Albuquerque, NM, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AK, None, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State University Department of Physics and Astronomy, Florida State University and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Faculte des Sciences et Techniques and Universite Aix-Marseille, MIT Haystack Observatory, Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Tennessee of Chattanooga, Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Western Kentucky University, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA, Fermilab, University of Virginia and Fermilab, Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana University Health Proton Therapy Center, University of North Florida, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University, Flordia State University, Louisiana State University, Washington University, Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Department of Physics, Florida State University., JINR, Tsinghua University, LBNL, LBNL/Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University, Florida A\&M University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, Gatton Academy, Exeter University, Florida International University, Office of Research, University of North Florida, Physics Department, University of North Florida, NSCL, Michigan State University, Physics Department, Florida State University, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Neel Institut, Kazan Federal University, Bielefeld University, Ben Gurion University, LCIB - CEA, University of Georgia, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, NHMFL, Tallahassee, USA, Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, NHMFL, Tallahassee FL 32310 USA, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany, Wigner Research Center for Physics, Budapest, Hungary, Experimental physics II, University of Augsburg, Germany, Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, IM2NP-CNRS (UMR 7334) and Universite Aix-Marseille, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Applied Superconductivity Center, Heifei National Lab for Physical Science at Microscale, USTC, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Department of Electrical Engineering, Rice University, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory/FSU, University of Virginia

  • Chris Neu

    Florida State University, NHMFL, Institut Neel, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, Florida State University, Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Florida State University, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, Austin Peay State University, University of Pardubice, Davidson College, Covenant College, Lookout Mtn, GA 30750, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, RU, University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, TN, USA, Sandia National Laboratories,* Albuquerque, NM, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AK, None, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State University Department of Physics and Astronomy, Florida State University and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Faculte des Sciences et Techniques and Universite Aix-Marseille, MIT Haystack Observatory, Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Tennessee of Chattanooga, Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Western Kentucky University, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA, Fermilab, University of Virginia and Fermilab, Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana University Health Proton Therapy Center, University of North Florida, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University, Flordia State University, Louisiana State University, Washington University, Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Department of Physics, Florida State University., JINR, Tsinghua University, LBNL, LBNL/Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University, Florida A\&M University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, Gatton Academy, Exeter University, Florida International University, Office of Research, University of North Florida, Physics Department, University of North Florida, NSCL, Michigan State University, Physics Department, Florida State University, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Neel Institut, Kazan Federal University, Bielefeld University, Ben Gurion University, LCIB - CEA, University of Georgia, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, NHMFL, Tallahassee, USA, Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, NHMFL, Tallahassee FL 32310 USA, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany, Wigner Research Center for Physics, Budapest, Hungary, Experimental physics II, University of Augsburg, Germany, Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, IM2NP-CNRS (UMR 7334) and Universite Aix-Marseille, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Applied Superconductivity Center, Heifei National Lab for Physical Science at Microscale, USTC, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Department of Electrical Engineering, Rice University, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory/FSU, University of Virginia

  • Chris Neu

    Florida State University, NHMFL, Institut Neel, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, Florida State University, Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Florida State University, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, Austin Peay State University, University of Pardubice, Davidson College, Covenant College, Lookout Mtn, GA 30750, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, RU, University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, TN, USA, Sandia National Laboratories,* Albuquerque, NM, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AK, None, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State University Department of Physics and Astronomy, Florida State University and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Faculte des Sciences et Techniques and Universite Aix-Marseille, MIT Haystack Observatory, Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Tennessee of Chattanooga, Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Western Kentucky University, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA, Fermilab, University of Virginia and Fermilab, Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana University Health Proton Therapy Center, University of North Florida, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University, Flordia State University, Louisiana State University, Washington University, Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Department of Physics, Florida State University., JINR, Tsinghua University, LBNL, LBNL/Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University, Florida A\&M University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, Gatton Academy, Exeter University, Florida International University, Office of Research, University of North Florida, Physics Department, University of North Florida, NSCL, Michigan State University, Physics Department, Florida State University, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Neel Institut, Kazan Federal University, Bielefeld University, Ben Gurion University, LCIB - CEA, University of Georgia, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, NHMFL, Tallahassee, USA, Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, NHMFL, Tallahassee FL 32310 USA, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany, Wigner Research Center for Physics, Budapest, Hungary, Experimental physics II, University of Augsburg, Germany, Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, IM2NP-CNRS (UMR 7334) and Universite Aix-Marseille, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Applied Superconductivity Center, Heifei National Lab for Physical Science at Microscale, USTC, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Department of Electrical Engineering, Rice University, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory/FSU, University of Virginia

  • Chris Neu

    Florida State University, NHMFL, Institut Neel, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, Florida State University, Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Florida State University, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, Austin Peay State University, University of Pardubice, Davidson College, Covenant College, Lookout Mtn, GA 30750, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, RU, University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, TN, USA, Sandia National Laboratories,* Albuquerque, NM, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AK, None, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State University Department of Physics and Astronomy, Florida State University and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Faculte des Sciences et Techniques and Universite Aix-Marseille, MIT Haystack Observatory, Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Tennessee of Chattanooga, Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Western Kentucky University, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA, Fermilab, University of Virginia and Fermilab, Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana University Health Proton Therapy Center, University of North Florida, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University, Flordia State University, Louisiana State University, Washington University, Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Department of Physics, Florida State University., JINR, Tsinghua University, LBNL, LBNL/Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University, Florida A\&M University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, Gatton Academy, Exeter University, Florida International University, Office of Research, University of North Florida, Physics Department, University of North Florida, NSCL, Michigan State University, Physics Department, Florida State University, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Neel Institut, Kazan Federal University, Bielefeld University, Ben Gurion University, LCIB - CEA, University of Georgia, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, NHMFL, Tallahassee, USA, Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, NHMFL, Tallahassee FL 32310 USA, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany, Wigner Research Center for Physics, Budapest, Hungary, Experimental physics II, University of Augsburg, Germany, Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, IM2NP-CNRS (UMR 7334) and Universite Aix-Marseille, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Applied Superconductivity Center, Heifei National Lab for Physical Science at Microscale, USTC, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Department of Electrical Engineering, Rice University, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory/FSU, University of Virginia